


At The Beginning

by Bellarsam_Chrisjulittle



Category: Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them (Movies), Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: F/M, First Kiss, Inspired by the song "At The Beginning" from Anastasia, New Year's Theme, One Shot, Romance, love letter, post-crimes of grindelwald, pure fluff
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-12-30
Updated: 2020-12-30
Packaged: 2021-03-11 02:00:05
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,707
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28417245
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Bellarsam_Chrisjulittle/pseuds/Bellarsam_Chrisjulittle
Summary: On the eve of the year 1928, Tina realizes what she must do before the new year arrives if she ever hopes to have a better year than this past one has been.  Thankfully, Newt has no objections whatsoever.
Relationships: Tina Goldstein/Newt Scamander
Comments: 2
Kudos: 52





	At The Beginning

**Author's Note:**

> This was inspired by the song "At The Beginning" from the Anastasia soundtrack. I listened to it one day with Newt and Tina in mind, and Oh My God it REALLY FITS with them! Listen to it and try to tell me otherwise!
> 
> It's been a while since I wrote any Newtina, and I really just wanted to write some fluff. I'm sure we're all eager to see 2020 behind us and are hoping for a better year, so I wanted to write a story that reflected that hope.
> 
> Enjoy!

The air in Europe was different to that in America. Tina had discovered this within a day of arriving on this continent a few months ago. But she hadn’t given it more than a passing thought until now. Inhaling and exhaling deeply, Tina decided that it was more than different, and tried to think of words to describe it…fresher, perhaps…well, no wonder, since she had lived her whole life in the largest city in the world. But even so, London was not much smaller, and still the air had a different feeling here…something indescribable…Maybe later the right word would come to her.

She inhaled and exhaled deeply as she watched the sun break through the clouds in the east. She had a good view from the roof of Newt’s building. The air was cold and sharp, but Tina only wrapped her shawl more tightly around her and buried her chin into the folds of her crocheted scarf. The last day of 1927 had begun.

Tina turned her mind back to a year ago, to the last day of 1926, and wished that she could feel the hope for the future that she had felt then. She remembered ringing in the New Year with Queenie (Tina gulped hard and blinked hard as she remembered her sister) with so much optimism and hope…She had been reinstated as an Auror, she had gotten a stylish new haircut, Queenie’s spirits were getting brighter every day, and she and Newt had already exchanged several letters, even though he’d only left a few weeks ago. 

Yes…Tina had welcomed the new year with so much hope…and now…

Tina wiped away the tear that escaped from her eye before it could freeze on her pink cheek. The past year certainly hadn’t gone as she had hoped it would…

The sound of a door opening behind her followed by a familiar voice saying her name made Tina turn around.

There stood Newt, his expression soft but tinged with concern. A small but heartfelt smile came to Tina’s lips at the sight of him, as it always did now. He approached her with his awkward gait and endearing face. “Will you come inside? Jacob’s nearly finished cooking breakfast, and it’s quite chilly without a coat.”

Tina nodded, not quite trusting her voice to be steady after what she had been thinking of. To extinguish the mounting concern in his gaze, Tina reached out and took his hand, lacing their fingers together. 

It was the first time that Tina had touched him without any hesitation or qualm. Newt knew it, too, and in return, he lifted their joined hands and kissed the back of hers softly.

Without another word, but after a long look, they walked back inside. As they walked down to have a delicious breakfast, an idea came into Tina’s mind…

* * *

When Newt came up from his basement after putting all of his creatures to bed, it was just past a quarter to midnight. Tina had gone up to bed before him, so he expected to find her either sleeping, reading or (what he really hoped for) waiting up for him in their bed.

 _Their bed…_ The two of them had been sharing a bed since the events in Paris a few months ago. She, Theseus and Jacob had come back to London with him; while the two men had each taken the second and third floor flats in his building, Tina had stayed with him in his flat. It had been as natural as breathing that they never truly discussed it: her staying with him, sleeping with him in his bed, the loving looks and touches that were growing more and more significant. Just this morning, when Newt had found her on the roof, the way that she had looked at him and taken his hand…there had been something new there, a confidence he hadn’t seen before. 

Newt stopped himself from speculating too much. After everything that they had all been through, especially Tina, he wasn’t going to make any assumptions. Newt had come to terms with his feelings for her months ago, and he knew she felt something for him. But he would wait for her to make that next step.

The magizoologist felt as if he were making his first bow and eye-contact to the most majestic hippogriff; Newt was prepared to wait in that position until his bow was reflected back to him. 

Coming into his flat, Newt was surprised to find that their bed was empty. Instead, he found an envelope with just his first name written on it laying atop his pillow. Intrigued, Newt picked it up and opened it. He then unfolded a one-page letter and read it.

**_My dear Newt,_ **

**_I’m doing this with a letter to make up for the letters I didn’t write after I jumped to the wrong conclusions about our relationship. Too much time has been wasted this past year by both of us doubting ourselves and each other._ **

**_This past year has been nothing like we expected or hoped. Though we’ve each reached high points professionally, that doesn’t seem like much when we look at what we’ve each lost. But as this year ends, there are two things that I’m grateful for: this family of outcasts and creatures that we’ve created, and that we’ve found each other again._ **

**_Just look at how far we’ve come in the span of a year. We were strangers who got swept up on a crazy adventure that somehow bonded us in a way that a normal year couldn’t have. No one told us that we would find each other, and I think what happened to our hearts was never expected by either of us. I don’t want to lose that, Newt._ **

**_No one can tell what will happen in this next year; we can only hope that it was better than the past one. But one thing I know is this: I love you with all my heart, and I want to be with you at the beginning, middle and end of this year, and even longer than that if you feel the same._ **

**_If I tried saying this out loud to you, I doubt that the words would come out. I’ll await a response to this letter in any way you choose to respond._ **

**_Love always,_ **

**_Your Tina_ **

After Newt wiped away his tears caused by this letter, he looked around his flat frantically. _WHERE IS SHE???_ Then, the answer came to him, and he ran so fast to the roof of his building that his feet barely touched the ground.

* * *

The door to the balcony practically slammed open in his haste, but Newt barely noticed. He also barely noticed that a light snow was falling. His full attention rested on the figure standing right where he had found her this morning. At the sound of the door, Tina jumped a little and turned towards it. Her eyes widened and she took a deep breath as she looked at Newt. Her shaking hands were hidden by clutching her shawl more tightly around her.

Noticing this, Newt let out a very adorable huff and hurried to Tina. He lifted his hands and rubbed her shoulders and upper arms. “Tina, you’ll catch your death!”

She had to laugh a little. “No, I won’t, Newt. I cast a warming charm on this before I came upstairs.”

He chuckled, embarrassed, and took her hands in his. “Of course you did.”

Their eyes met. Tina’s salamander eyes were shining, even though it was the middle of a snowy night. She held his hands tightly, and Newt could feel how on edge she was. Of course – she was waiting for his response to her letter, whatever that may be.

It came to him quite clearly, because he remembered what day it was. So, albeit reluctantly, he let go of Tina’s hands and took out his pocket-watch. He could just barely read the time with a sigh of relief: less than a minute to midnight.

As he watched the seconds tick by, he heard Tina take another deep breath. _Be patient, love,_ he thought. _I want this to be perfect._

When there were only fifteen seconds left until the new year, he showed the watch-face to Tina. He smiled shyly and asked, “How would you feel if I kissed you at midnight?”

Tina looked at the watch, then at Newt, and her pale face lit up in a radiant smile. “I’d like that _very_ much.”

He grinned and pocketed his watch. Tina’s brow wrinkled and started to ask, “How will you –”

“Just listen for Big Ben,” he replied promptly.

Thankfully, just a few seconds later, strong and distant charms rang in the air. Without hesitation, Newt stepped forward and cupped Tina’s face. Her lips met his halfway in a first kiss that was more magical than the most powerful spell that either could cast.

The chimes from Big Ben had stopped well before their lips finally parted. Their eyes met in the dim light, still holding each other tightly. Newt looked at the love of his life, with snowflakes in her dark hair and happy tears in her salamander eyes, and happiness burst through him like a firework. He expressed this by bending down, a wicked grin on his face, and scooping her up in his arms. She gave a joyous laugh and held on tight as he twirled them in a circle through the snow.

* * *

Neither would fall asleep until the early hours of the morning. Cuddled close under the blankets of their bed, each fell asleep as the memory of this New Year’s Night seared itself into their minds and hearts forever.

The future was full of unknowns, and nothing would guarantee that this new year would be better than the last. But Newt and Tina knew that, whatever came their way, they would be able to face it together.

They would remember this night always, but not at the end of 1927 and the beginning of 1928. This was the night where their time alone in the world ended, and they stood at the beginning of the rest of their lives together.


End file.
